IGNN: Main State Page Press Release

CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to prohibit municipalities from requiring police officers to meet ticket quotas. The new law also prevents quotas from being used to evaluate an officer’s performance. Today’s action is part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to maintain integrity in local government.

“Law enforcement officers should have discretion on when and where to issue traffic citations and not be forced to ticket motorists to satisfy a quota system,” Governor Quinn said. “This new law will improve safety and working conditions for police officers and prevent motorists from facing unnecessary anxiety when they encounter a police vehicle.”

Senate Bill 3411, sponsored by State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) and State Representative Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea), prohibits a county or municipality from requiring a law enforcement officer to issue a specific number of citations within a designated period of time. It also says a county or municipality may not compare the number of citations issued by the law enforcement officer to the number of citations issued by any other law enforcement officer for purposes of job performance evaluation. The new law applies to local, county and state police officers, and is effective January 1, 2015.

“With today’s technology, there are more effective ways to evaluate the performance of a police officer," Senator Manar said. “Using the number of citations is an outdated and ineffective evaluation tool. It doesn't lead to better policing, it doesn't lead to better use of taxpayer money and it doesn't lead to better relationships with the community, all of which are challenges we face.”

“Arbitrary quotas on the number of tickets that have to be issued by police officers undermines the public trust in the police departments’ priorities,” Representative Hoffman said. “By eliminating these quotas, we can restore that trust and ensure that police officers are free to do their job protecting the public.”